


Snowbound

by Willowbrooke



Series: Snow in Oxford [5]
Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Shower Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-04
Updated: 2014-04-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 02:46:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1167718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowbrooke/pseuds/Willowbrooke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lewis and Hathaway are sent off into the country in the middle of a major snowstorm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No series about 'Snow in Oxford' would be complete without the 'Major snowstorm strands the boys in a remote cottage providing the perfect setup for romance to begin' story. This is heavily trope-laden and covered in fluff. Don't say you haven't been warned.

James was at his desk catching up on paperwork when Lewis stormed into their office looking for all the world as though he might murder the next person who crossed his path. The 'good morning, sir' that was on James's lips died before it could be spoken.

"Don't know where some people get off acting so bloody superior. Arrogant bastard!" Lewis pulled his chair out and slammed down into it.

"I take it your interview with Professor Grantham didn't go well?"

"Talked down to me like I was an ignorant child. Kept asking me if I understood what he was saying."

"Well, we both know that this town is full of condescending people. We deal with them every day. Our being treated with disdain is nothing new, but you don't usually take it so personally."

Lewis's scowl eased a bit as James continued. "So, why did this encounter bother you so much? Was there something in particular about him or is there something else troubling you?"

His boss took a moment before he answered, but when he did, it was clear that he had calmed down a bit. He gave a hint of a smile as he responded.

"Leave it to you to analyse a situation in less than a minute and get it all summarised in a couple of sentences."

James gave him a confused look and was on the verge of apologising when Lewis held his hand up, stopping him.

"No, as usual, you've got it pegged exactly. There _was_ something particular about him and there _is_ something else on me mind. And I wasn't criticising, mind, it was a compliment. You have a way of cutting to the chase and it's one of the reasons why you're so bloody good at your job. But, I don't feel like talking about this right now, so what else is on our agenda for the day?"

"Innocent wants us to go back out and talk to Christopher Barkley again. We have new information that indicates he may know more about the Raines case than he shared with us in our first interview."

"Barkley? Isn't that the cottage out in the middle of nowhere, south of Farmoor Reservoir?"

"Yup."

"And do you suppose she's looked out her window today?" 

"I assume she's heard the same forecast we have, but apparently she feels this is important and can't wait. We're to be briefed in half an hour."

****

Just after noon, Lewis and Hathaway were slowly making their way along the Botley Road, with James behind the wheel. The conditions were rapidly deteriorating as the snowfall increased and visibility decreased. One could never trust forecasts, but if the weather services got this one right, it could be close to a record snowfall for Oxford. The drive to Leys Road normally took about 15 minutes, but in this weather it was anyone's guess.

"You taking Cumnor Hill or the A420?" Lewis asked.

"I thought the A420 might be better maintained in this weather."

"Aye, you're probably right. So, I think we should assume he'll not be happy to see us again. We'll need to take all the usual precautions."

"Yes, and we certainly can't rely on back-up today."

They spent the next few minutes discussing how they would proceed. By the time they turned into the 1/4 mile drive leading to the cottage, 45 minutes had passed. The drive was barely navigable now and would soon be impassible.

"We'll be lucky to make it back to Oxford," Lewis said as they approached the cottage. "Let's hope he's in a talkative mood and we can make this a short visit."

There was a lone vehicle, a black Range Rover, parked by the cottage as they pulled up. From what they had learned in their briefing, it was likely they would find Barkley and his wife inside. Barkley was not a suspect in the case and there was no reason to assume he might be dangerous, but if he had been lying to protect someone, which they suspected, he would probably not welcome another visit from the police.

James pulled up next to the other car and they made their way to the door. It was a small, but beautifully maintained old stone cottage. In spite of the weather and their reason for being here, Robbie found himself thinking that this would be a lovely place to retire.

There was no response to their knock but Robbie was sure he'd heard someone moving around inside.

"Mr. Barkley? Inspector Lewis, Oxfordshire police. We have a couple more questions we'd like to ask you."

Still no response. He and James exchanged a look before he tried the door and it opened. "Mr. Barkley? Oxfordshire police." They made their way slowly forward and Robbie noted the fire burning in the fireplace. "Mr. Barkley?"

In the next instant, he heard the back door open and slam shut. They exchanged a look and then ran in that direction. Lewis was the first one through the door and therefore was the one to take the blow from the shovel wielded by Barkley. It caught him in the gut and he doubled over in pain.

****

"Sir!" James bent down over him. The wind had been knocked out of him and he couldn't speak, but he managed to convey that he was all right and motioned for James to go after Barkley.

James quickly ran around the house and caught sight of a man and a woman as they reached the cars. Barkley pulled out a knife and slashed the closest two tyres of James's car.

Just as James was closing in on them, he stepped in what must have been a hole buried in the snow and went down. As he tried to regain his footing and resume his pursuit, he felt a sharp shooting pain in his ankle and he collapsed once more in the snow.

He watched helplessly as the two climbed into their vehicle and barrelled their way through the snow down the drive. The car slid around and nearly got stuck, but they were soon out of sight. 

"Damn it!" James pounded his fist into the snow.

Lewis had now made his way around the house.

"James! You all right?"

"Yeah. Not sure about my ankle though. Are you all right?" 

"I'll live." Lewis shook his head, looking frustrated. "Can't believe I walked into that. Stupid! Lucky no one was around to witness that little comedy or errors. Not one of our finer moments." 

"No." James was silently cursing himself for his carelessness.

Robbie bent to examine James' ankle. It was already starting to swell. "Can you move it?" James moved it to demonstrate that it was not broken.

"Right, best get you back inside and get some ice on it. Come on. Lean on me." James reached up and put an arm around Lewis's shoulder. 

The groan that escaped from Lewis was loud and James immediately let go, falling back to the ground.

"Fuck. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Just a bit tender. Look, this is a bit like the blind leading the blind, but we've got to get back inside, so let's try this again." 

With Robbie's help, James made it up to a standing position. He winced as he tried to put weight on that ankle. "I'm sure I can manage on my own."

"Don't be daft, we'll do this together. Come on." Robbie managed to help James into the cottage and onto the sofa in front of the fire. He found a pillow, placed it on the coffee table and, pulling James' shoe off, lifted his foot up onto the pillow.

"I'll see if I can find some ice to help keep the swelling down."

"If not, there's always plenty of snow, sir."

Lewis gave him a look and headed off to the kitchen while James cursed himself again for not seeing the hole and for his general cock-up of this seemingly routine interview.

When Lewis returned with the bag of ice, James was glowering at the fire.

"Here. Lift your foot a minute." Lewis did his best to wrap the ice bag around James' ankle and then wrapped a towel around that to help hold it in place.

He plopped down on the sofa beside James and winced a bit as he rubbed his hand over his ribs. "Don't know what you're so upset about. I'm the one that walked straight into the bloody trap. I should have been two steps ahead of him instead of two behind. You just had the bad luck of stepping in a hole."

He looked at James and continued. "We should get going as soon as you think you can make it to the car or we'll end up getting snowed in here. I'll drive."

James hesitated. "Umm. About that, sir." Lewis glared and James continued. "Barkley slashed two tyres on my car. One spare won't do us much good." 

"Right. Why am I not surprised." A look of dread crossed his face. "Now I have to ring Innocent and let her know that not only did I lose Barkley, but now we're stuck in the middle of nowhere with no more information than when we arrived."

James smirked at that. "Well, it could be worse, sir."

"Yeah? How?"

"We could have been beaten to a pulp, bound and gagged and shoved down the cellar steps while Barkley torched the place on his way out."

"Have you always been such a smart arse or is it a skill you've perfected over the years?"

James laughed out loud at that.

"Go on then, sir. Surely there is a way to tell her what she needs to know while carefully glossing over all the humiliating details."

Robbie couldn't help but smile at that as he pulled his phone out and made the call to Innocent. He put it on speaker so that Hathaway could here both sides of the conversation.

Lewis explained that Barkley had done a runner on them and that James had twisted an ankle in pursuit. He also told her that Barkley had managed to slash a couple of the tyres on their car. He left out the bit where they left themselves open to attack and about the shovel to his gut. 

"So, it looks like we're stranded here for now ma'am."

"Hathaway's ankle isn't broken?"

"No ma'am, just sprained. We've got ice on it."

Innocent's irritation was evident in her reply. "Good. But, I can't possibly spare anyone to come and retrieve you. This storm has completely shut down the city and I need everyone I've got to keep things in order here. Besides, in this weather, there's no guarantee anyone would even be able to reach you. You'll just have to make the best of it until at least tomorrow sometime. Can you stay in Barkley's cottage?"

"Yes, ma'am, we're already inside. With this snow, Barkley won't be making it back either, so we'll just settle in here and we'll be in touch in the morning."

As he disconnected the call, he caught a strange look on Hathaway's face, but it passed before he could analyse it.

He turned to James and smiled as he spoke. "Looks like we're stuck here for a bit. Don't know about you, but I'd kill for a cuppa. You stay put and keep that ankle elevated. I'll go put the kettle on and see if I can find us something to eat."

As Lewis walked toward the kitchen, James called after him, "We can only hope that Barkley keeps a better stocked pantry than Michelle Marber." That, of course, made Lewis chuckle.

When James was finally alone, he allowed the reality of this unexpected situation to sink in. He and Robbie would be together in a remote cottage at least overnight, maybe longer. Of course they had spent the night under the same roof before, but this felt very different. Because of the snowstorm, they were completely cut off from everything. No chance of a call out, no interruptions, just the two of them. He wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or terrified.

Over the last couple of years, he had done his best to ignore his attraction to his boss and had resigned himself to living with an unrequited affection for the man that he spent the majority of his waking hours with. 

He now wondered, though, if he had just been handed the perfect opportunity to finally take the risk and let Robbie know how he felt? He wasn't at all sure how the man would respond and he certainly didn't want to muck up the comfortable relationship they had. But if there was any chance that his feelings might be reciprocated, he didn't want to miss out on that either.

There had been times when James thought that Robbie might feel something more for him than friendship. On many occasions, he had sensed his boss watching him for long periods of time when he thought James didn't notice. And there was the routine lack of personal space between them which was certainly unusual for two such private people. Lately, it seemed that there had been an increase in casual touching as well. A hand resting on his shoulder or arm, legs pressed together when they were sitting side by side, even brushing 'lint' off Hathaway's jacket.

But most telling was that night a couple of weeks ago when they were sitting side by side in the middle of Robbie's sofa, drinking their beers and discussing their current case. There was something said that caused James to turn and look at Robbie and what he saw there caught him off guard. The moment seemed charged as they stared at one another for a few seconds. Just as James was about to say or do something to knock things off center, Robbie quickly looked away and made another comment about the case. Of course, they had never spoken about it and James had quickly reverted to his routine of calculated indifference. 

As he refocused on the present situation, he realised that it was pointless to worry about it and that he just needed to relax and take this time together as it came, hoping for the best. 

Robbie soon returned with the tea and some cheese sandwiches. 'You'll be happy to know that not only is the pantry extremely well stocked, but it looks like they were preparing to celebrate something because there are a couple of rib-eye steaks, potatoes and a variety of veg along with several bottles of wine. There's also eggs, sausages and streaky bacon for breakfast. Oh, and there is plenty of beer in the fridge as well. I think we'll be fine until someone shows up to rescue us." He smiled and added, "We can only hope it won't be too soon."

James smiled and nodded. He hoped that as well, but was their reason the same?

When they had finished their tea and sandwiches, Robbie went out to the car to retrieve the first aid kit which would contain some elastic bandage that he could use to wrap James' ankle.

He winced again as he bent down to remove the ice pack and James' sock so that he could apply the wrap. 

"Sir, are you sure you're alright?"

"Just a bit sore. Might have some bruised ribs."

"I've let you fuss over me, now it's my turn to take care of you. Bruised ribs benefit from icing as well and there should be ibuprofen in that kit. We should probably both take some."

Lewis dug around and found the bottle. He opened it and handed a couple of pills to James and took a couple for himself. "I'll go get us some water."

When he returned he handed one glass to James and said, "Never pictured us taking drugs together."

James smiled and pills swallowed, he moved to get up.

"Oi, where do you think you're going?"

"Loo." James took an experimental step on his bad ankle and was pleased to find that having been iced and wrapped, it was feeling much better. "And when I get back I expect to see you shirtless with ice on those ribs."

Lewis laughed. "Asking me to strip, sergeant? Didn't think our relationship had progressed to that point yet."

James had already turned to walk away and was grateful that Robbie could not see the pink that coloured his face. 'Yet?' he thought to himself. What the hell did that mean? Was that deliberate? He threw out a smart arse comment to cover his confusion. 

"Well, you apparently have a foot fetish, so I'd say we're somewhat even now." He heard Lewis chuckling as he wandered off to find the loo.

It was the first time James had really looked around the cottage. Though small, the interior had been very tastefully decorated with many modern upgrades added. It was very comfortable and inviting and everything was spotlessly clean and tidy. As he walked down the short hallway towards the bathroom he passed the bedroom and it suddenly occurred to him that they would both need somewhere to sleep tonight. He glanced in and saw what appeared to be a king size bed that took up the majority of the room. 

On his way back from the loo, he walked into the bedroom and stripped the sheets off of the bed. He hoped that there would either be a spare set somewhere or a washer/dryer to launder them. Regardless of how the evening went, at least Lewis should sleep in the bed, so clean linen was a necessity. On his way back to the sitting room, he noticed the closet in the hallway. He was relieved to see a clean set of sheets along with extra blankets. He carried the sheets back to the bedroom, but decided to just set them on the bed for now. His ankle was throbbing again and he knew Robbie would be wondering where he was.

When he returned, Robbie had shed his jacket, tie, shirt and vest and had a towel wrapped around a bag of ice on his stomach. James lifted the bag and saw the beginnings of bruises forming but no apparent breaks in the skin. As he reapplied the ice bag, Robbie shivered at the cold. James helped Robbie back into his shirt leaving it open at the front. He then picked up a throw that was draped over the back of the sofa. "Here, this will help." He gently wrapped the blanket around Robbie's shoulders, letting his hands linger there for a brief moment. "I'll stir the fire."

The next hour was spent quietly in front of the fire that James had successfully brought back to life. A nearby bookshelf had provided them each with something of at least marginal interest and they settled beside each other on the sofa. They relaxed as they read and both began to enjoy this strangely peaceful afternoon they were sharing.


	2. Chapter 2

Surprisingly, James was the first to drift off. Robbie set his book aside and carefully removed the book from James' hands. He found another throw and tossed it over the lad. Of course, it only covered the middle bit of his lanky sergeant, but it was better than nothing. 

Placing a hand over his own sore ribs, he gingerly sat back down on the sofa and allowed his mind to focus on the man beside him. He turned to look at James and felt a tremendous rush of affection. He instinctively reached out and settled a hand on James' arm. 

Their relationship had long ago moved from inspector and bagman to a solid friendship, but if he were honest with himself he would have to say that it was really much more than that and probably had been for some time.

What exactly it was, he couldn't quite say. James occupied his thoughts much of the time when they were apart. When they were together, he found himself watching James whenever he could do so without being noticed. And he was surprised to discover that he also found himself longing to touch. 

Robbie knew that he cared deeply for James and that he would give his life to save James' in a heartbeat. He wanted to see the lad happy and at peace, but equally important to him, he wanted to be the person responsible for that happiness and peace. He knew without a doubt that James had become as necessary to him as breathing.

He supposed that was love and it wasn't as shocking a realization as it should have been. The two of them just 'fit.' They completed something in each other and they were far better together than apart. 

He didn't really see this revelation as a sexuality crisis because he supposed many people were neither completely straight nor completely gay. It was more like discovering something new about himself. 

So, it seemed Robbie was in love with James and he was only a bit more surprised to realize that he also very much desired him physically. Being with a man sexually would be new territory for him and as with most new things, the thought was a bit frightening. But he longed for that physical closeness that would connect them on a far more intimate level. Yes, he hoped that at some point his relationship with James would include plenty of sex. He chuckled at that, thinking that you never knew where life would lead you.

He was still cursing himself for his cowardly reaction that night a couple of weeks ago when he thought that James had been of the verge of showing his hand. Though he had suspected for awhile that James might reciprocate his feelings, that evening confirmed it. But he had been caught off guard by that realization. The truth was, he had panicked and so had caused the moment to pass. 

But their present situation offered a perfect opportunity to make up for that. It was a chance for each to reveal to the other the thoughts and feelings that had been lurking just below the surface.

He smiled as he closed his eyes and settled lower to rest his head on James' shoulder. He soon drifted off to sleep.

***

James opened his eyes and tried to make sense of what he was seeing. He blinked a couple of times and slowly remembered the cottage and the snow and his ankle and the botched interview with Barkley. He frowned and made an attempt to stand when he realized that there was a warm weight on his left side. He looked over to see Robbie sleeping peacefully against him. Robbie's hand was settled on his arm. The sight brought a smile to his face and he couldn't resist tipping his head down to rest his cheek against the top of Robbie's head.

Unfortunately, the fire had died while they slept and it was getting quite cold in the room. As he debated how he might get up to restart the fire without disturbing the man next to him, Lewis also began to stir.

He sat up, stretched and looked around the room. "James?"

"Yes, sir. Right here where you left me." 

"What time is it?"

"About half past four." James stood then and hobbled to the fireplace. He laid up a new fire and set a match to it. "It will take a bit for this to catch up. I assume this place has a central heating system."

"Well, I need the loo, so I'll have a look." Robbie wandered off down the hall and James headed to the kitchen. 

He had not noticed any details when he ran through earlier, but the room was pleasant, clean and organized. The appliances were top of the line. An examination of the contents of the fridge and pantry confirmed what Lewis had said about it being well stocked. They would have steaks, roast potatoes and asparagus for dinner with a nice bottle of wine. Dinner was still a couple of hours off and it wouldn't take long to prepare their meal, so they might as well settle in by the fire for awhile. James reached in the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. He also filled a couple of bags with ice once again.

As he walked back into the sitting room, he felt a blast of heat coming out of a vent. Lewis, who was now seated back on the sofa, had obviously found the controls. 

"Ah, good idea," Robbie said as he took the beer James offered.

"This too." James passed one of the ice bags to Lewis as he joined him on the sofa. "No argument."

"Yes, mum." But it's bloody cold on me stomach."

"Well, you've got me to keep you warm, sir," James said as he plonked down on the sofa nearly on top of his boss.

Instead of the pained expression at his smart arse comment that James expected, what he got from Robbie was an unguarded look similar to the one he had gotten a couple of weeks ago. "James," Robbie said as he continued to hold eye contact with his sergeant, "do you suppose at least while we're here, you might leave the 'sir' at the door and call me Robbie?"

James smiled and responded, "Yes, I'd like that...Robbie." And he hoped his eyes conveyed his desire to do much more than that.

Robbie smiled in return and hesitated only briefly before he responded. "And I just might like the thought of you keeping me warm."

James now laughed nervously and set his beer down on the coffee table. His heart was pounding as he reached over, took Robbie's beer out of his hand and placed it beside the other bottle. Both of them turned so that they were facing each other and Robbie tossed his ice bag onto the floor. James took a deep breath and slowly, hesitantly reached out to cup Robbie's face in his hand. Robbie quickly mimicked the move, using his thumb to stroke James' cheek. 

They leaned forward in unison and it was impossible to tell exactly who initiated the kiss, which made it all the more lovely. It was a short, tentative kiss on both sides, but the emotions it produced were anything but. As they pulled back, each searched the other's eyes looking for clues. What they saw allowed them to relax and they both smiled broadly.

Their lips came together again and this time, there was no hesitancy on either side. Robbie's hand reached up to the back of James' neck to pull him closer. This was the kiss that both had imagined when they had actually allowed themselves to wonder what it might be like. 

James brought his hands up to reverently hold Robbie's face for a moment before wrapping his arms tightly around the man's shoulders. Robbie's hands moved to James' waist where they anchored themselves as he pulled James even closer so that their bodies were now connecting in as many places as possible. James heard a soft moan as the kiss deepened and tongues explored and he was surprised when it registered that it was he who had made the sound. Robbie's lips curved into a smile under their kiss.

Oxygen being a necessity, they finally separated to catch their breath and to allow the reality of this situation to soak in. They rested with their foreheads together, breathing heavily as their hands joined and their fingers entwined. 

When Robbie finally spoke, he chuckled as he said, "The last person I made moan like that was a suspect I'd just kneed in the groin when he'd tried to get away."

James laughed. "Well, that explains it then because I felt your impact in that very same part of my anatomy."

Robbie glanced down and laughed out loud. "Nice to know I'm not the only one standing at attention here."

They kissed again, more slowly and relaxed this time and as Robbie broke the kiss, he reluctantly put a bit of distance between them. "Reckon we have plenty of time to enjoy this. No point in wearing it out in the first five minutes." He reached out and rested his hand on James' arm . "Besides, it's always more exciting to unwrap gifts slowly and let the anticipation build."

James smiled. "I always knew there was the soul of a poet somewhere inside that forthright Geordie exterior. And I agree." 

Robbie picked up James' bottle of beer and handed it to him. "Come on then, put that ankle back up here." When James complied, Robbie picked up one of the bags of ice and placed it over James' ankle.

"Besides, some bossy boots told me I need to keep icing me bruised ribs." He picked up the other bag of ice, placed it across his stomach and picked up his own bottle of beer.

They tapped their bottles together in a silent toast and sat quietly side by side for some time, each lost in his own thoughts.

Robbie was the first to break the silence. "How long?"

"Sorry?"

"How long have you been...thinking about this?"

"Awhile. Longer than you might guess. But honestly, I never expected anything and I was really okay with that. What we have on any level is special enough and I never wanted to jeopardize what we already had for the risk of anything more."

Robbie nodded and smiled. "I reckon that makes me a pretty rubbish detective."

James smiled back. "No, Robbie, it doesn't. It makes me a very good actor. I did my best to hide it from you because I didn't want you to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable or worse, make you feel as though we could no longer work together."

"Fair enough. But our working relationship is something we'll have to discuss at some point. I am still your boss and that will make this difficult." 

"Yes, but there are lots of options. 'You go, I go,' remember? And it doesn't have to be that extreme. There'll be time to worry about all that later. For now, let's keep the rest of the world locked out with the snow while we savour every moment of this time we have here." James leaned in and kissed Robbie once more.

As they separated, Robbie' eyes clearly reflected all he was feeling and he reached out to briefly trace James' jawline with his fingers. "Right. Come on then, dinner won't fix itself."

Before heading to the kitchen, James threw on his coat to step outside for a quick smoke. The snow continued to fall at a significant rate. He wasn't sure he had ever seen this much snow in Oxford. Though he assumed Innocent would get someone out to them tomorrow, he silently prayed that the disruption from this storm might be enough to necessitate one more day here. 

When he went back inside, they began preparing dinner. James put Robbie in charge of potatoes, wine and setting the table. He took care of the asparagus and the meat. He was pleased to find a small electric grill that he could use to cook the steaks.

Fixing dinner turned into a much more involved process than anticipated given the amount of time spent touching, laughing, grabbing and engaging in full-on snogging. Fortunately for their stomachs, some actual food preparation was occurring in the midst of it all.

"I never realized cooking could be considered a contact sport." James said with a smile as Robbie once more grabbed him from behind while he was attempting to turn the steaks.

"Well then, it's a good thing you've got me to demonstrate the finer points of competitive food prep for you then," Robbie said as he filled James' wine glass again. "It takes a great deal of practice to get it just right. And in this sport, you actually get points for being off-sides."

"Is that so?" James chuckled. Well, we ought to be doing quite well at it then." 

"Aye, I think we're naturals."

As Robbie set the table, he noticed a candle on the sideboard and placed it in the center of the table. He borrowed James' lighter and the soft glow it created added a bit of a romantic atmosphere.

When they were finally seated at the table with lights dimmed, mellow jazz in the background and a wonderful meal before them, James raised his glass to make a toast. "Here's to a future forever altered by a bit of snow and an unexpected day."

"To our future, James." Robbie responded solemnly as they clinked glasses.


	3. Chapter 3

The meal was excellent and they shared laughs and easy conversation as they ate. Topics ranged from serious to lighthearted and James' occasional smart arse remark gave Robbie an excuse to roll his eyes and pretend to be annoyed. Both enjoyed it immensely.

When they finished, they carried their dirty dishes to the kitchen and debated about doing the washing up. They certainly didn't owe Barkley any courtesies. But even though there was no guilt on either side regarding the consumption of the steaks, they agreed that neither of them would feel right leaving the mess, regardless of the circumstances. Besides, they still had breakfast to fix in the morning. So, once the dishwasher was loaded, James washed what was left while Robbie dried. 

Wine glasses topped off again, they moved back into the sitting room. Robbie coaxed the fire back to life and they settled comfortably, apart for their aches and pains, close beside each other on the sofa again.

James found himself marveling at how the events of the day had unfolded. It had, after all, started out much the same as any other work day, apart from Robbie's foul temper. James was still curious about that and he though that now might be a good time to bring it up. 

"Robbie, I've been thinking about your mood when you arrived at the office this morning and I was wondering why you let Grantham get under your skin. I interviewed him during the McCarthy case. I'm sure you remember that. I thought he was a bit of a prat, but no more so than many of the university crowd we have to deal with. What did he say or do that set you off?"

Robbie lowered his gaze to his wine glass and for a moment, James thought he might not answer.

Finally, he looked up and spoke slowly. "He had a go at you. Said he remembered you as a 'pretentious Cambridge upstart who liked to show off his self-assumed superior intellect.' Talk about the pot calling the kettle. Anyway, he wondered how I tolerated working with you, but in the same breath managed to imply that as I was clearly a simple Northerner, I must not mind too much. Told him to keep his offensive comments to himself and just answer me bloody questions."

James laughed and leaned in to give his boss a quick kiss. "Thank you, Robbie. No one's ever defended my honour before. I've now got a mental image of you slapping Grantham's cheek with your glove and challenging him to a duel at sunrise." He was genuinely touched, but something else suddenly occurred to him. "Just one small issue. You've referred to me in much the same way on several occasions."

Robbie laughed. "Course I have, cause it's true and you know it as well as I do. Doesn't mean I'll let anyone else get away with saying it. Especially some pompous arse with an over-inflated view of his own importance."

"Ah, well, that's all right then. Never had you pegged as the 'knight in shining armour' type anyway."

"Don't be daft. Just didn't appreciate him badmouthing the Oxfordshire police is all." But the affectionate grin peeking out from under his scowl gave him away.

"So," James continued, "you told me this morning that I was right on both counts. That there was something in particular about him _and_ that there was something else on your mind. Do you want to tell me what that something else was?

Robbie hesitated only briefly. "It was you, wasn't it? Only figured out recently how I felt about you. Course I didn't have the faintest idea what to do about it or if you had any interest in any kind of...further relationship. I had meself convinced that nothing would ever get sorted between us and I was in a mood when I got there. Then, when he criticised you, well...you know the rest." 

James smiled playfully and, leaning his head on Robbie's shoulder and placing a hand over his heart, he said with exaggerated feeling, "My hero." 

"Ah, give over, you," Robbie attempted to look cross but he was actually quite amused and of course James knew it. 

They sat quietly for awhile before Robbie spoke again, serious once more. "James, I think it's fair to say we're neither of us great at talking about things or sharing our feelings. Laura said to me once that people don't know how you feel unless you tell them, and she was right. I hope you and I can get better at that as we move forward here. We've got lots of time to work on it, but there is one thing I want you to know now because I've thought it so many times and never worked up the courage to say it." 

He took a sip of his wine and continued. "One of the luckiest days of my life was the day Innocent sent you to pick me up at the airport. The time I've been privileged to spend with you these last few years has meant the difference between existing and living. If you'd told me after Val died that I would ever find myself happy again and looking forward to getting up in the morning, I would have said you were mad. But it's true and you're the reason for it."

James was caught off guard by that heartfelt admission and it took him a minute to collect himself enough to speak. He reached out and took Robbie's hand in his. "That works both ways, you know." He paused for a moment and continued. "I know you've worked out that my childhood was not quite the happy and comfortable one that you and Val provided for your kids. It's fine. I don't dwell on it and maybe someday I'll reach a point where I can share some of that with you. I just mean that it's had an effect on how I relate to people. I don't trust easily and I've always kept my thoughts and emotions closely guarded.

"But from the beginning, there was something different about how you and I interacted. Almost from the start, we could communicate with a look or intuitively know what the other was thinking and it's always felt so natural. Like it was meant to be.

"I've never been able to let my guard down enough to trust anyone before, but that guard was never even up with you. The truth is, Robbie, I trust you. Completely and without reservation and I have from the beginning.

"In the obvious way of course, I trust you with my life every day on the job. But much more importantly, I trust you with 'me.' I never thought it mattered before, but I'm beginning to understand how important it is to have someone in your life who knows you almost as well as you know yourself and accepts you for who you are. So, you see, that day was a life-changer for me as well." 

Afraid to speak for fear his voice would fail him, Robbie reached out and enveloped James in a tight embrace. They held onto each other for a few minutes before pulling back and settling once more side by side into a comfortable silence.

When their glasses were finally empty, Robbie yawned and looked at the time. "Don't know about you, man, but I'm knackered. It's been a long week with little sleep. That couple-hour kip this afternoon was nice, but barely took the edge off."

James nodded. "Yes, I think we could both do with a good night's sleep. I'll help you put the clean sheets on the bed. I found some extra blankets, so I'll take the sofa."

Robbie gave James an exasperated look. "With that sore ankle of yours hanging off the edge? James, when I said we should take this slow I didn't mean at a Victorian pace. I want you in my bed and I assume it's what you want too." James smiled a bit self-consciously and nodded, so Robbie continued. 

"Good. But the fact is, with my ribs and your ankle, if we tried for much more than kissing and cuddling tonight, I'm afraid there might be more pain than pleasure involved."

James was handed the one-liner and couldn't ignore it. "Not into S&M then." He was snickering now. "I'll make a note of that."

"Ha bloody ha. You know what I mean. What I'm saying is that sensible restraint might be the best approach. Besides, we have plenty of time to discover each others 'preferences' in bed. 

James smiled and agreed. "Yes, we do. And this day has been a bit of an adventure already. I never thought that I would be allowed to touch and kiss..." To emphasize that point, he leaned in and gave Robbie a quick kiss. "much less anything else. So, yes, when we make love for the first time, I want us both to be able to enjoy it completely. Besides, anticipation is its own form of pleasurable pain, don't you think?" 

"Hadn't ever thought of it that way, but yeah, I guess it is." Robbie reached out and touched James' face and they shared one more brief kiss before they rose from the sofa.

Robbie damped the fire and ensured that it was safe for the night while James stepped outside for one last cigarette. Robbie then carried their wine glasses to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of water as James reappeared. "Water and ibuprofen all round I think." He found the bottle of pills and they each swallowed a couple.

James was quite sure that he should feel a bit nervous or, at the very least, insecure as they turned out the lights and headed for the bedroom, but truthfully, he was far too happy to allow for any other emotion. 

They worked together to get the sheets and fresh blankets on the bed and then took turns in the bathroom. Robbie found a new toothbrush in the cabinet above the sink, so they both used that to clean their teeth. 

When James returned to the bedroom, Robbie was already settled in under the covers. "I chose a side. I can shift if you'd rather have this one."

"I was rather hoping we might share the middle like we do on the sofa." James stripped to his boxers and climbed in on the other side of the bed.

Robbie smiled as he switched off the bedside lamp. He cringed a bit and held his stomach as he rolled to face James and scoot towards the center of the bed.

"How are you doing?" James asked with concern.

"It only hurts when I have to contract those muscles. Could have been worse. He could have hit me over the head with that thing. Anyway, that's not what I want to be thinking about right now."

"And what do you want to be thinking about right now, Inspector Lewis?"

Instead of answering, Robbie leaned in and captured James' mouth. He proceeded to kiss him slowly and passionately while his hand moved to the back of James' head, holding him in place as though he feared the man might disappear.

James murmured his pleasure as he carefully pushed Robbie onto his back and began trailing soft kisses from Robbie's lips down to his neck and then lower. He pulled back the covers just enough to expose the bruises that had grown larger and darker as the day had progressed. He gently kissed each one and then pulled the covers back up to keep Robbie from getting chilled.

"Ah, James," Robbie whispered.

Their mouths met again and this time their hands roamed freely over each other's bodies, exploring and learning.

As James hardening cock made itself known against Robbie's thigh, the older man was suddenly brought back to his senses.

"Oi. Much as I hate to say it, we best stop now before we can't." James took a moment to focus and reluctantly agreed. Robbie gave him one last lingering kiss and settled down on his back. He pulled James over so that his head was resting on Robbie's shoulder. James, looking for a comfortable home for his octopus-like limbs, draped his free leg over Robbie's legs and wrapped his free arm tightly around Robbie's waist as he relaxed into the position.

Robbie smiled as James settled. "I quite like lying here with you in me arms."

"Shh. We're supposed to be sleeping."

"Right, sorry. G'night, love." Robbie softly kissed the top of James' head while James grinned into Robbie's shoulder, still not quite believing that this was real.

"Good night, Robbie." He tucked himself even more tightly against Robbie's side and soon, they were both asleep.

***

When Robbie woke, the first thing he was aware of was the ache of his bruised gut. The second was of warm breath on his neck that tickled at the same time it aroused. He smiled as he opened his eyes to see the sleeping form of his sergeant beside him. Both of them were now on their sides, facing each other and James had tucked his head in close under Robbie's chin.

He spent several moments soaking in the look and feel of James like this. Sleeping peacefully, hair at odd angles and all of his usual defenses down. The sight made Robbie's heart soar. He couldn't stop his hand from reaching out to touch and tangle his fingers in James' hair.

They were certainly two very different people, but they had already spent years in a relationship that was often compared to marriage. Though Innocent might deny it if asked directly, she had made it clear to both of them that their partnership was the most successful and respected on the force. They could certainly claim some credit for that, but much of it was the result of the natural connection between them.

So, maybe it wasn't so strange that their relationship had moved in this direction. In any case, here they were and Robbie couldn't be happier about it. Yes, they would have to address the working relationship issues sooner rather than later, but not today. 

As he was about to shift positions, James stirred and slowly squinted one eye open. When he focused on Robbie, a look of pure joy settled on his face.

"I thought I might have dreamt it all," he mumbled as he reached an arm around Robbie to pull him closer.

"If you did, then we both had the same dream." Robbie smiled as he mirrored James' move. They were now making full contact from shoulder to feet. As James leaned forward to kiss Robbie, the movement against the older man's rib cage caused him to wince slightly in pain.

James pulled back sharply. "Christ, Robbie, I'm sorry. I completely forgot about your sore ribs."

"It's fine. Just a bit tender is all. I don't think Barkley intended to cause major damage or he would have swung that thing much harder or aimed it higher. I think he just wanted to knock the wind out of me to slow me down so that they would have time to get away. Any road, I'll be right as rain in a couple of days."

As James smiled and nodded, Robbie carefully leaned in again and this time their lips connected in a kiss that brought them both fully awake and fully aroused. Things quickly began to heat up and this time it was James that regretfully brought it to a halt.

"As much as I want to continue where this is leading, I'm not going to risk hurting you again. So do whatever you have to do to heal quickly, eh? Even a former priest only has so much self-discipline."

That made Robbie laugh as he rolled onto his back. "I'll do me best. You've certainly given me good motivation. And thanks for that reminder that I'm in bed with a priest."

"Former and almost priest. And I promise you I've left those vows of chastity far behind."

"Glad to hear it." As he held a hand across his aching rib cage, he sat up carefully.

James threw back the covers and crawled out of bed on the other side. He took a tentative step on his sore ankle. Much better than he was expecting. It still hurt and he would be favouring it for a few days, but it was already much improved.

"How's the ankle?"

"Better."

Robbie nodded as he walked to the window. An idea had been forming in his mind and he sincerely hoped the weather would cooperate. He smiled as he looked at the deep drifts of snow across the relentlessly white landscape.

"Judging by the look of things out there, I'd say there's a good possibility we might get an extra day here."

James certainly hoped that would be the case, though he couldn't help but feel some disappointment in the fact that given Robbie's injury, they still wouldn't be spending the day in bed, learning and exploring each other's bodies and giving and taking pleasure.

He let Robbie shower first while he threw on some clothes and stepped outside for a smoke. It had stopped snowing, but it was still quite cold and the wind was still whipping the snow around. James estimated that there must be at least 18" on the ground. Almost unheard of in Oxford. There was certainly reason to be optimistic that they may get one more day here.

When James was out of the shower and dressed, he headed for the kitchen where Robbie was already well into preparing a classic fry up. It was one of the few meals Robbie had mastered and he wanted to cook for James. So, while he saw to the bacon, sausages, eggs and extras, James busied himself with coffee, juice and toast. 

James also used the time to take a quick look in the freezer to see what might be available for another meal if they should manage to get lucky. He was please to see two or three nice meat choices and another check of the pantry helped him flesh out his meal ideas.

When they had finished breakfast, James praised Robbie's culinary efforts and in fact it had been delicious. Fry ups were not his usual fare due to the unhealthy nature of the meal, but the joy on Robbie's face at his pleasure in it was well worth the guilt for having consuming it.

Once they had cleaned up the kitchen, Lewis rang Innocent. He put it on speaker again so that James could hear.

Innocent sounded stressed and tired. "I've been here all night. This storm has completely shut the city down. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. Cars have been stuck in the snow and abandoned, blocking countless roads so clearing the streets has been a nightmare. It will take most of the day just to get the main roads open and drivable again. 

"And if that's not enough, high winds have caused power outages in large parts of the city. People are panicking and we've had several reported break ins and thefts of emergency supplies. I'm sorry, Robbie, but there's really no way we can spare anyone to come out there today."

"Understood, ma'am. I'm sorry we're not there to help."

"Well, you should be, but I suppose I only have myself to blame for that. One gets in the habit of assuming that the weather will not do what it's forecast to do. Anyway, I will get someone to you as soon as possible tomorrow. I'm sure you're both anxious to get out of there but at least you have shelter. Have you got enough food to get by?"

"Yes, ma'am, we'll manage."

"And what about James' ankle?"

"On the mend, ma'am."

"Good, and when you get back, remind me why it is I keep the two of you around as you're useless in a crisis."

Robbie chuckled. "I will, ma'am and then I'll remind you that sometimes weather forecasts are accurate." 

Robbie was rewarded with a brief laugh on the other end of the line as Innocent disconnected the call.

He and James grinned at each other and Robbie enthusiastically began plotting how best to put his plan into action. There was no way he was going to waste this perfect opportunity for the two of them to get to know each other on a whole new level and with what he had in mind, his sore ribs shouldn't be an issue.

Meanwhile James, convinced that nothing beyond where they'd already been would be happening, focused his attention on the evening meal which he was determined to make special. "Right," he said with enthusiasm, "so what shall it be for dinner...lamb chops with Moroccan rice or a classic beef with Yorkshire pudding?"

Robbie smiled as he leaned over and gave James a kiss. "You decide. You're the chef. Guess, that makes me the sommelier." With that, he rose and reached out his hand to pull James up. They walked hand in hand to the kitchen where Robbie made the wine selections for the evening and James, having made his decision, pulled the chops out of the freezer to thaw.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Apologies for the delay in posting this final chapter. It's obviously a bit late for 'snow,' but as this a fictional world, hopefully no one will mind. This last chapter is for Callicat49...sex, as promised! :) There have also been some edits made to prior chapters._

James quickly made a marinade for the chops while Robbie put his selected bottles of white in the fridge to chill for this evening and then he put the kettle on. While Robbie saw to the tea, James lit another fire and they soon settled together on the sofa under a blanket, cups of tea in hand and the books they had found yesterday open in front of them. It was cozy, relaxing and really quite wonderful.

Robbie, however, was finding it difficult to concentrate as he worked out his plan for later. He reckoned sometime after lunch would be good. He thought about waiting until after dinner, but he really didn't want to wait. He had waited far too long already.

They watched a bit of crap telly after a light lunch and it was soon time for Robbie to make his suggestion.

James was changing channels and had just come upon a rerun of 'Time Team.' "Ah, this will do."

Before he lost his nerve, Robbie quickly reached for the remote and turned the TV off. 

James gave him a confused look and then noticed that his boss seemed a bit nervous and was slightly flushed.

"So," Robbie began as he sat up straight and moved a bit away from James, "I've been thinking that after the icing we gave our injuries yesterday, that maybe a little heat would be good today."

James continued to look confused and Robbie gamely carried on. "They say that alternating cold and heat is good for both sprains and bruising."

By this point, it was clear to James that this conversation was about more than their injuries, but so far, he couldn't make heads or tails of it. He tried a simple question. "So, what do you suggest?"

Robbie took a deep breath and said, "Well, I though maybe we might try a hot shower. That is...I thought maybe we might try one...together."

That caught James by surprise but the surprise was mingled with so many other thoughts and emotions that suddenly began crashing around in his head, that it took him a moment to form a coherent response.

That delayed response caused a look of doubt and uncertainty to appear on Robbie's face and James rushed to reassure him.

"Well, _they_ do know best," James said quietly as he moved forward and placed his hands on Robbie's arms. The two of them were doing their usual poor job of communicating, but this was too important for misunderstandings, so he continued. "But just to be clear, we _are_ talking about more than just standing under the water together?"

"What? Yeah, of course. I mean, I thought you wanted... But, we don't have to if..."

James grinned and leaned in to kiss Robbie in a manner that left no doubt about just how _much_ he wanted but he said the words anyway, just to be sure. "Robbie, God...yes. Of course I want. If you only knew how many times I've thought about it. And I think 'shower sex' has always been right at the top of my want list."

Now Robbie was laughing and it was his turn to kiss James. But he had one more thing he needed to say. "Just one thing. I'm not sure I'm ready for...everything."

Of course James understood what he meant and he smiled as he responded. "There are many ways for us to make love and that's just one of them. It's not something that we ever have to do if you don't want to. I'll leave it to you to let me know when and if, okay? For now, we can enjoy exploring all of the other ways we have to pleasure and satisfy each other."

Robbie smiled in return and nodded. "I do want it, James. I want everything with you. So, we'll just work up to it, yeah?"

"Yeah." With that sorted, James stood and pulled Robbie to his feet. "Come on, then. We're wasting time sitting here."

***

They stood silently facing one another in the very center of the shower stream, each feeling a bit nervous and awkward, but both quite certain there was nowhere they would rather be. 

Eyes focused on each other, Robbie made the first tentative move as he reached up to cup James' face tenderly with his hands. James' warm smile and almost imperceptible nod in response to the touch encouraged Robbie to continue. Robbie moved his hands slowly down James' neck, to his shoulders, down his arms, up across his chest and around to his back, massaging and caressing as they moved. 

James stood quite still, eyes closed, head back slightly and arms at his sides as he savoured the wondrous feel of Robbie's hands exploring his body. The water added an extra dimension of stimulation and his skin, which was already tingling and ultra-sensitive in all the places Robbie had touched, felt on fire. It was an extremely erotic moment and he wanted it to last, but even more than that, he felt an overwhelming need to put his hands on Robbie. To offer him the same intense sensations and to give him that same wondrous pleasure. 

James slowly opened his eyes and brought his hands up to Robbie's shoulders, pushing gently so as not to cause pain to his tender midsection. He carefully settled Robbie back against the shower wall and his hands moved up to lovingly cup his face as he brought their lips together in a sensual, deep, open-mouthed kiss; their bodies pressed closely together under the steady stream of water. Robbie couldn't decide where to land his hands and so he used them to explore the entire surface of James' back side, finally settling them on his arse, grabbing hold and pulling him closer.

James reluctantly broke this intense kiss as he began trailing more kisses from Robbie's mouth along his jaw line and on down his neck. As he arrived at Robbie's chest, he focused his attention on the man's right nipple, his tongue flicking it gently before capturing it and sucking. That elicited a soft moan that was let out on an exhale and James smiled before continuing his journey.

While all this was going on above, James' right hand had pushed it's way between Robbie's legs. Robbie widened his stance to accommodate as James began running a finger slowly up and down along Robbie's inner thigh.

As James' lips moved down to carefully kiss the bruises on Robbie's abdomen, his right hand moved up to begin gently stroking Robbie's now very firm cock.

Robbie reacted instantly, reluctantly reaching a hand down to brush James' hand away. "James," he panted. "Jesus. Slow it down or the game will be over before it starts." James smiled an apology as he moved his hands back up to hold Robbie's face. Their eyes met and the look they shared was filled with tremendous desire as well as a much deeper emotion. 

Robbie stepped forward and they met once more in the middle of the shower under the full force of the water, wrapping their arms around each other, mouths meeting again and hard cocks bumping and rubbing together as the water ran down their faces and mingled with their kisses. 

It was Robbie's turn to play and he wanted there to be no doubt about what he had in mind. 

He broke the kiss this time and placed his right hand in the middle of James' chest. He roughly shoved the younger man back against the wall and his hands tightly pinned James' arms against his sides. He kissed James hard, still holding his arms in place, his own wants and needs suddenly very clear. He caught James' sharp intake of breath and the look of surprise that quickly turned to one of pleasure. James hungrily answered Robbie's aggressive kiss and as his arms were unavailable, he lifted one leg and began rubbing it up and down against the front of Robbie's leg, each stroke ending with a brush against the other man's balls and cock.

The sensations that produced caused Robbie to lose focus momentarily. James took advantage of that and pushed forward to free himself. They were standing once more in the middle of the shower stream, hands roaming as they laughed and shared more kisses. Both were obviously enjoying the back and forth of this game, but James suddenly sobered. "Round one over, " he said, his face suddenly serious, as he once more backed Robbie against the wall. "On to round two."

This time James dropped to his knees in front of Robbie. As his hands played up and down over Robbie's hips, his tongue began working the length of Robbie's shaft teasing and backing off and then doing it again. 

Robbie's head rested back against the wall of the shower and his eyes were closed as he gave his full attention to the pleasure James was offering him.

With one hand settled on Robbie's waist, James brought the other up and once more teased Robbie's legs apart. As he took Robbie's cock into his mouth, his hand played up along the inside of Robbie's leg to grab hold of his balls.

Robbie let out a gasp and began slowly thrusting while James continued to suck and tease with his mouth and tongue.

As the pace increased, James moved the hand that had been on Robbie's waist around behind to grab and dig his fingers into the other man's arse and the hand on his balls began moving in rhythm with the thrusts as they rapidly increased.

Robbie held on as long as possible, but soon came with a loud moan, shuddering through the last waves of the orgasm. When his breathing finally steadied and he slowly regained his bearings, James released him and sat back with a grin on his face.

An incredulous and satisfied smile slowly appeared on Robbie's face as well. "Bloody, fucking hell. That was brilliant." He took a few more deep breaths and then reached a hand down to help James up.

James cringed a bit as he tried to stand on his bad ankle. 

"Your ankle, bugger. Sorry, lad."

"It's fine. Just a bit stiff." He laughed. "Sort of like us."

"Well, thanks to you, you're the only one still stiff." He glanced down and continued, "And I reckon your stiffness could do with some attention."

This time it was Robbie's turn to get down on his knees. It was a surprise to James how expert Robbie's hands and mouth were but he didn't have much brain power left to analyse that as he was now thinking only with his cock. His entire being was vibrating with the overwhelming pleasure of being stroked and sucked by the man he had desired on so many levels for such very long time.

It didn't take long for James to fall over the edge in a spectacular way, joining Robbie in that post-orgasm world where the body is sated, the mind is content and cocks are comfortably soft.

"Once my brain and body are back in the same universe," James managed to get out in a breathy whisper, "I'm sure I'll have something clever and deeply profound to say, but right now, all I can manage is, 'Thank God for whomever it was who decided that it was a good idea to alternate cold and hot for treating injuries.'"

That made Robbie laugh out loud and as he moved to stand, James reached out and helped him to his feet.

They stood for some time, arms wrapped tightly around each other, both hesitant to let this moment pass. 

Finally, James reached out and found the soap. He took his time working his way all over Robbie's body and then Robbie returned the favour. With the soap washed away, Robbie kissed James one more time and reluctantly turned the water off as James fumbled for the towels they had left just outside the shower.

When both were dry, they moved back to the bedroom to get some clothes back on as it had gotten quite chilly while they were in the shower.

"I think a nice whiskey by the fire should be next on the agenda," Robbie said and James heartily agreed.

***

Dinner came together easily and as they were enjoying this last meal here, James suddenly laughed.

"What?"

"I was just thinking that Dr. Hobson would have been quite proud of us for the actual conversation using real words that we had earlier."

"Aye, she would, but if it's all the same to you, I'd just as soon she not get wind of this 'new development' in our relationship. Among other things, she'd be only too happy to offer couples counseling. Besides, I don't fancy sharing this with anyone just yet. And it's not just the work issue. I just don't want to let anyone else in. I want to keep it special, just for us, yeah?" 

"Yeah." James smiled and nodded, feeling happier than he could ever remember.

***

Once the kitchen was tidied and the last glasses of wine had been shared by the fire, they made their way to bed. Each had considered a repeat of the shower experience but in the end, both had decided that it had been far too special a moment to dilute the memories of it with another version here.

Instead they settled in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. James had been surprised earlier in the day to discover coconut oil among the cooking supplies in the kitchen and so he had borrowed it for use this evening. Wanting to avoid any pressure on Robbie's ribs, they opted for using hands and the wonderfully scented oil as a lube to bring each other to climax this time. Both were more than satisfied with the results.

Once they had cleaned up the sticky residue and turned out the light, James rolled onto his back and Robbie settled in his arms. As James was drifting off , Robbie spoke softly. "James?"

"Hmm?"

"When I lost Val I realized that tomorrow is never guaranteed and you don't always have a chance to say everything that you want to. So, there's something I need to say to you now so there's no chance it will ever go unspoken."

James reached his hand up and ran his fingers through Robbie's hair. "And what's that?" he asked quietly.

Robbie hesitated briefly before he said, "I love you," and then he stilled as he waited for James' response.

A thousand emotions hit James all at once beginning with the painful emotions of a lonely childhood; loss, isolation and the intense longing for affection. But those feelings were immediately overshadowed by all of the positive ones he'd experienced since this man had come into his life; strength, trust, support, loyalty and most important of all, unconditional acceptance. It was a lot to take in, but for the first time in his life, he felt the beginnings of an inner peace. He would have to analyse it all later.

Even with all this running around in his head he managed to get out, "I love you too, Robbie," around the lump that had settled in his throat. He tightened his arms around his boss and kissed the top of his head.

Robbie tightened his hold as well. "Right. Reckon we're two of the lucky ones then." They shared one more kiss and then settled back into their embrace. It was awhile before they slept, but eventually they did.

 

***

Robbie spoke with Innocent just before eight and was told someone would be there for them no later than nine.

After a quick breakfast of toast and coffee, they had only a little time to wait. James had stripped the bed and thrown the sheets in the washing machine. He then brought a couple of blankets and a pillow from the bedroom out and left them on the sofa.

"What are you doing?"

"I'd prefer if the evidence didn't point to the fact that we just spent two nights sharing a bed. Who knows what Barkley might do with that information."

Robbie nodded. 

It wasn't long before they saw the snow plough making its way down the drive.

"Guess this is the end of our little adventure," Robbie said as he turned to face James.

"Or, maybe it's just the beginning," James responded.

"True enough," Robbie said with affection as he leaned in to kiss James one last time before they headed out to catch their ride.

***

As the driver dropped them at the station he said, " I've been told to tell you that Chief Inspector Innocent is expecting you right away in her office."

"She's here on a Sunday morning?" 

The driver responded, "Yeah, we've all been putting in long hours with this storm."

"Right, thanks."

As they walked into her office, she glanced up from her paperwork only briefly to note who was standing in front of her. "Ah, the two lost lambs have returned to the fold. I've asked Peterson to brief you on the snow situation and as you've been lazing about for the last couple of days I will expect you to put in a full day today to provide some relief for those of us who have been hard at it."

"Yes, ma'am," Robbie said. "Could we have enough time to nip home for some clean clothes? We've been in these for three days."

She finally looked up from her work and took in their appearance. "Yes, alright. You _are_ both a bit...rumpled. I hope you were at least able to shower."

James maintained a steady gaze forward, keeping his expression totally impassive while Robbie casually responded, "Yes, ma'am, we did indeed shower."

Innocent gave Robbie a strange look and then focused her gaze on James. "How's the ankle, sergeant?"

"Better, ma'am, thank you." He couldn't resist continuing, "They say cold followed by hot is the best treatment and it seemed to do the trick."

"Right. Good." Now she was looking at them both a bid oddly. "Of course I'll expect a full report on this 'non-interview' once we get past our current crisis. Now, get out of here, both of you, and I'll tell Peterson to be prepared to brief you in an hour."

"Ma'am," they said in unison as they walked out the door.

As they headed towards the car park and the safety of Robbie's car, both had their heads down, avoiding eye contact with each other as well as with those they met on the way while each attempted to stifle the giggles that were threatening to overflow.

Once they were settled in Lewis' car and had made their way out into the snowy streets, the laughter exploded. 

"Bloody hell," Robbie said. "We're going to have to be more careful if we don't want the entire nick figuring out what's going on."

"Agreed, _sir_."

Robbie was quiet for a moment. "Let's stop by yours to pick up your clean clothes and then head back to mine. Think maybe we could both do with a shower before we get dressed again, what do you think?"

James smiled. "Well, since we only have an hour, it _would_ save time if we showered together, wouldn't it? We wouldn't want to be late for our meeting with Action Man."

"No, sergeant, we certainly wouldn't. Glad we're in agreement as usual."

**Author's Note:**

> _With winter upon us, I had an idea to do a series of stories about various ways that snow might touch or impact the lives of Lewis and Hathaway. They will be written as a series, but each part will be a complete story. 'Snow' will be the only thing they will have in common._


End file.
